Chelsea will hope to find luck against Tottenham Hotspur for the first time this season, after losing both games against their London rivals, first in the Premier League and then in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.
The Blues will have another chance to get the better off Mauricio Pochettino’s side when they meet them at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night, but Chelsea will face the same situation as they have in the previous two clashes. There will be someone permanently placed on Jorginho, to stuff him out and put a stop to Chelsea’s buildups.
The Italian midfielder has had the most touches of any player in the English top flight and dictated the Blues’ play in the early stages of the season, but he had failed since to repeat any of those displays. Dele Alli had done a fine job on him in both games when Chelsea lost, but in his absence, Pochettino is sure to place another menacing player on the deep-lying playmaker.
If Sarri does not give us another episode of his stubborn tactical decisions, then that flexibility might just play the surprise act in tonight’s game at the Bridge and finally get the Blues over the fence.
